


Coloring Book

by felinesandbeanies



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Percico - Freeform, mentions of past percabeth, perico - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-10
Updated: 2014-02-10
Packaged: 2018-01-11 20:10:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1177412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felinesandbeanies/pseuds/felinesandbeanies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico always wants to know what Percy Jackson's color is as if he was a mood ring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coloring Book

Nico thinks it’s stupid but he thinks Percy is kinda like every color that exists. He sees it every time he’s with him and Nico kinda has fun with figuring out what color Percy is. It’s sort of like ‘I Spy’ but he’s kinda more into coloring books than straining your eyes for something that isn’t so obvious. Percy is a coloring book and Nico doesn’t know how to feel about that.

* * *

Percy is orange when he had to spend two months without Annabeth, when he had to cope with the fact that Annabeth won’t come back to him. 

Nico shadow travels to Camp with his stygian sword strapped to his back and his bombard jacket hanging on his shoulder. He furrowed his eyebrows when he realizes that it’s raining. Why was it raining? It never rained in Camp, the invisible dome made it possible to have such wonderful weathers everyday. He had disappeared for two months because of a quest for New Rome and really he just wanted a dry day alone in his cabin. 

He headed for his cabin, shielding his eyes with his hand, maybe it’s his fault that he didn’t see Annabeth come from his right but he’ll never admit that. 

“Ugh,” Nico huffed as he regained his balance. 

“Sorry, Nico. I--I wasn’t looking,” Annabeth said. 

“S’fine. It’s just this stupid rain. Why is it even raining _here_ ,” He said crouching down to pick up his jacket.

“It’s Percy. He’s upset...I think.” 

“Why would he be?” 

“We broke up.” 

It’s the first time Nico looks at Annabeth. He sees that Annabeth was glowing, that she was radiant in all aspects. He compares his lips to that of Annabeth’s and sees that hers were pink and plump. He sees that her stormy grey eyes were dancing with happiness and a hint of sadness. Nico can’t help but think that she doesn’t deserve to be this happy right now but he refrains from saying it.

“I’ve had a long day. I’ll talk to you later,” Nico ends awkwardly. 

“I--oh okay.” 

It seemed she wanted to say something but he just stalked of, heading to the docks where he knew Percy would stay. He sees him lying down, his legs hanging on the edge and his arms spread out as if he were expecting the rain to hug him. 

“I think it’s the first time I saw you wet,” Nico says, pushing back the innuendo to the dark corner of his mind because he needed to be deep and supportive today. 

“Yeah, well. It helps me think,” Percy says, not even glancing at Nico when he sits down next to him, his legs hanging next to Percy’s. 

“How are you,” Nico asked. Percy had to stare at Nico’s black clothed back to actually register that the son of Hades had asked him how he was. He’s never heard those words before, it’s always looks filled with pity and words of sympathy. 

“If you want to give me sympathy or pity, I’m fine. I’ve had just about enough pity and sympathy to last me a year.” 

“I just want to know.” 

When Percy hears the sincerity in Nico’s voice he considers how he feels for a minute. “I’m not sad because of the break up.” 

“Why the rain then?” 

“I’m just...lonely. I’m used to having someone holding my hand, laughing with me, sitting with me, lying next to me, and I don’t even know.” 

Nico decides that Percy is particularly orange today because what else could be a color for loneliness if not orange? Nothing rhymes with orange so he guessed that it must feel lonely. He looks at Percy, seeing his tired sea green eyes give the sky a hollow look. He musters up a smile. 

“Well until then, you have me.” 

The green eyes were ripped away from the sky and finally focused him. He can’t help but feel a little squeamish under his gaze because it was skeptical and scrutinizing and he thought he said the wrong thing but when he sees the ends of Percy’s lips pull up he feels his stomach do a flip. 

Nico would’ve missed the fact that rain stopped if Percy didn’t say “I’d like that a lot.”

* * *

Nico expected that Percy would be blue when someone died.

Nico expected him to be blue when he loses capture the flag.

Nico expected him to be blue when their friends all had to leave when summer break ended.

Nico expected him to be blue when Poseidon rejected an IM from him. 

Nico didn’t expect Percy to be blue during Lion King. Scar had just pushed Mufasa off of the cliff when Nico hears a quiet sniffle.Nico figured that he had better things to do but here he was lying on the bed next to Percy, their shoulders touching and Nico doesn’t even regret doing this with him because he feels electric. 

He’d expected the end of summer to be more than staying in Percy’s apartment, lying on his bed with a laptop perched on one of their legs. He personally thinks that Frozen is more fun but Percy had argued with a ‘shut up and watch the classics’ to which Nico can never say no to even though he really likes Beauty and the Beast more than Lion King. 

 

Percy sniffled as Simba buries himself under Mufasa’s arm. 

“Did he _have_ to die?” Percy wails, placing his head on top of Nico’s shoulder, burying his nose at the crook of his neck. 

“We’ve watched this for the fifth time this week and you and I both know that he is going to die,” Nico says, trying to suppress the shiver being caused by Percy’s hot breath on his neck. 

“But does he have to?” Percy pouts, pulling away. 

“I’m going to bed,” Nico says, but he doesn’t move, he just places his head on Percy’s shoulder. 

“One question.” 

“Hmm?” 

“ _Do you want to build a snowman_ ,” Percy whispered, lips close to Nico’s ear. 

“Oh fuck off,” Nico says, he doesn’t want to admit that it slightly turned him on because no he will not have sex because a man whispered disney lyrics in his ear. 

“Nighty night, Neeks.” Percy kissed the crown of Nico’s head. If Nico had a stiff neck the next day, he didn’t regret it.

* * *

It’s when Nico has his near death experience does he see Percy with the color of red. 

He didn’t want to let Percy get hurt much less does he want to be a damn martyr but that’s what he does isn’t it? He comes when Percy needs someone. He had thought that his calculations were right, that he would push Percy away and dodge the damn thing himself but the things he plans aren’t always that smooth. 

He’s fending off an empousa when he feels it. He feels Percy’s _soul_ quiver. It isn’t normal for him to have this gut wrenching feeling so he slices the empousa clean in half and spins around, running to Percy. He hears Percy’s soul scream and wail, hears it calling out Annabeth’s name. Nico ignores the pain the laced his heart and keeps running. 

A manticore was diving for Percy when he sees the son of Poseidon. He felt a gut wrenching nostalgia, it was like he was ten again but this time Nico isn’t the one who needed to be protected from a manticore. He doesn’t know where he finds the strength to shadow travel but he does, pushing Percy away. 

Nico just has enough time to turn before the manticore had clung onto him, claws digging and piercing his flesh. He doesn’t remember if the tail got him as well but maybe it did since he feels numb and cold. One second the manticore had his face inches away from his and then the next Percy had tackled it. 

It took a lot of effort to turn his head, to see Percy rip and mangle the manticore. He saw the red in Percy’s eyes and if he didn’t have time dying, he’d probably be afraid. When the manticore had turned into dust, Percy was still stabbing and kicking and screaming. Nico couldn’t recall what it was that he screamed. 

“Please be fine,” Percy begs, lifting Nico’s head gently before placing it on his lap. 

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” Nico meant for it to sound sarcastic but it sounded so hoarse and tired. 

“Don’t die on me, you little shit,” Percy said, Nico sees red Percy again but he knows the anger wasn’t directed at him.

“And why the hell can I not?” Nico glared. He’s glad that he feels Percy’s soul safe and comfortable in it’s container. The only soul wailing now was his own and it’s deafening. 

“We still have to go to Italy together..remember?” Nico was expecting another answer but he stops when he remembers that Percy’s soul called out for Annabeth and not him. 

“Yeah, after my nap.” 

“Of all the fucking days, you want to have a nap _now_ ,” Percy snarled. 

“Yeah because with great power comes the great need to take a nap.”

“Don’t use that spider man bullshit on me, Di Angelo.” 

“I promise I’ll stay with you Percy.” _because I love you._

Nico does stay and the bump on his head from when Percy hit him was enough to prove it.

* * *

It’s when Nico finally _finally_ confessed that he sees pink Percy. 

They were sword fighting. It wasn’t at all innocent, Nico was blinded with rage so he took out all his anger on Percy with his hands tightly gripping his stygian sword. Percy does more defenses than offenses which makes Nico’s eyes blaze even more because he doesn’t like being played with. 

“Let’s stop this, this can’t be good for you,” Percy says “I care for you.” 

“Of _course_ you do because you obviously care about me,” Nico says, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

“I really do.” 

“Yeah because Bianca would be here if you fucking did.” Nico knew it was low blow but his mind was foggy and he couldn’t figure out what was harsh and what wasn’t. He’s never seen Percy look so damn angry before but he didn’t care so he turns around starts to walk away. 

“Fuck you, Nico Di Angelo.” It sounded so cold and harsh that it stopped Nico in his tracks.

“What?” Nico turned around to glare at the son of Poseidon. 

“I don’t care? Yeah okay let’s ignore the fact that I may or may not love you. Let’s push that shit aside. Let’s talk about how I first saw you in that stupid Lotus Casino and couldn’t forget you, let’s talk about how when I first saw you I instantly doubted my relationship with Annabeth, let’s talk about how I almost got comatosed trying to save your sister, let’s talk about how I went to Hades and tried to trade my soul for Bianca’s, let’s talk about how I blame myself every night that Bianca is gone, let’s talk about how I upset I was that you had to go through Tartarus alone, let’s talk about all of those shit because it seems like I never fucking even cared about you, you little fuck.” 

“I’m not a little fuck.” 

“I told you that I love you and you hear that one tiny thing? Do you know how insane that is?”

Nico was walking towards Percy, unsteady but sure. It seemed like a long walk when it was really just about six feet away. He tries to form a sentence but when he opens his mouth, it shuts again. 

“I’m I--”

“You’re sorry? I get it okay, Ghost King can’t like me back. It’s fine really it is.” The thunder Nico heard was telling him otherwise. 

“No I--” 

“You don’t need to expl--” 

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Nico pulled Percy down and kissed him. He has to take a moment before finally digesting that he’s fucking kissing Percy Jackson and it feels so damn great. He doesn’t want to pull away but oxygen beckons him over.

He pulls away but he rests his forehead on Percy’s, a smile playing on his own face. He sees that Percy is pink. It feels good because it’s the first time he’s made Percy pink. 

“Hey,” Percy says.

“Hey, I love you,” Nico grinned.

“I love you.”

* * *

Percy is green and Nico doesn’t even know why. 

Percy noticed Nico interrupting their Disney marathons to make an IM or when he was out most days with a boy named Connor. Nico hasn’t brought it up nor did Percy even try because if Nico wanted to tell him something, he would...right?

It was when they were halfway through Nemo did Percy get a little mad. Nico would inch closer but Percy would move two inches away, three for good measure. It’s silly, he knows but he’s mad he doesn’t want to admit that. 

“I have to make a--”

“Go,” Percy says because he doesn’t need to hear the rest of what Nico was about to say. The sofa shifts, letting Percy know that Nico had left him alone and in turn he sighed and concentrated on Dori’s whale calls. 

He isn’t at all bothered that Nico came back when Percy was already half way through Peter Pan. 

“Well Nemo was quick,” Nico mused and Percy had to resist the urge to strangle him right then and there. 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Percy says, not meaning for it to come out with venom. 

“Woah, you’re still upset that Wendy doesn’t end up with Peter?” 

“Well yes maybe I don’t know? Just...who the fuck is Connor.” 

Nico blinks. “What?” 

“You twat, I know you heard me.” 

Nico tries to suppress his laugh because he sees green radiating off of Percy and knows better than to comment about it because he’s sure that Percy would probably drown him if he does so instead he raises a brow. 

“Are you serious?” 

“Did I fucking stutter, Di Angelo?” 

“Never knew you were the jealous type, honey.” 

“I’m not jealous and don’t call me that, that reminds me of Ms. Dodds.” Nico is slightly offended that he reminds Percy of his first monster encounter but bites back that comment. 

“You’re totally jealous.” 

“I will stab you.” 

“You won’t.” 

“I know.” 

“Since you obviously can’t take it when I went to those six month trips to the underworld, I tried to find someone to fill in for me so that I would only go there for three months. I wouldn’t want to miss our one year anniversary now do I?” 

Percy wasn’t so green after that.

* * *

Percy is red-orange and Nico is too. 

To Nico, red-orange is panic which is what he feels when he found out about how Percy had suggested a house warming party to celebrate the fact that they moved in together. It would have been okay if Percy and Nico didn’t get an IM from both of their dads, indicating that they were going to the house warming party. 

Red-orange lights kept blinking at the couple, screaming abort! abort! and Nico wished that he could but he can’t. He’s just so happy and thankful that he can cook something other than cereal and that Percy can bake. 

“ _I know you, I’ve been you with you once upon a dream,_ ” Nico hears Percy sing as he cleaned the dishes. Percy isn’t at all a bad singer but he isn’t good either yet to Nico, it’s like a lullaby. 

“ _I know you the gleam in your eyes so fami_ \--shit,” Percy said when they both heard the doorbell. 

“Not it,” Nico says proudly. 

“Oh shit.” He saw Percy disappear in the doorway before he hears the door being unlocked. He prayed to every God and Goddess he’s ever known, he prayed that his chicken, carbonara and mashed potatoes were alright. 

He exits the kitchen and almost bumps into his own dad if he didn’t look. 

“Um--oh hey...dad,” Nico stuttered, glaring at Percy who didn’t even warn him or at least gave him a heads up because now his dad was staring and jesus he already feels his hands getting a bit clammy. 

He sees those red-orange lights again. 

“Demeter and Persephone wanted to give this to you,” Hades said, handing him a basket filled with Lucky Charms and Pomegranates. Percy thinks it’s a bit funny to see Hades give his son a basket or maybe it’s just his ten year old mentality. 

“Thank you,” Nico smiled and Percy had to squint to clearly see the slight upturned corner of Hades’ mouth. Percy wonders when and how they formed a father-son relationship rather than god and king. 

Another doorbell rings. Percy runs to the door, opening it to see Poseidon and his mom. He bolts right up to them and gives them a hug. He just wished that Nico could’ve done the same to his dad. 

When they all gathered in the living room, it wasn’t how Percy and Nico expected it to be. The two brothers would chatter, Sally occasionally joking and laughing with them. 

“I’m going to set up the table,” Nico says, trying not to break his mask when all the adults turn to him. It’s not at all panicking to see the expectant look his dad gave him. 

“I’ll come with you, ba--” Percy blushed when he realized what he almost said.

“Baked some blueberry muffins for you guys,” Nico grinned. He was going to _kill_ Percy. 

“Um...we’ll be right back.” Percy pulled Nico into the dining area, a vice like grip on Nico’s wrist. 

“Really? You’re going to call me ‘babe’ in front of Hades?” Nico whisper-yelled. 

“It slipped out!” Percy counters. 

Nico sighed, before he goes off and sets the table. He wonders when Percy even called him ‘babe’ since obviously nicknames were not their thing. It’s ridiculous and degrading, he can’t take stupid nicknames or whatever they liked to call ‘babe’ ‘honey’ and ‘ sweetums’. 

 

Nico doesn’t even want to taste his own creation when he sees his dad take his first bite. Hades didn’t comment but the sparkle in his eyes made Nico know that he was enjoying the food. At that, he breathes out a heavy sigh. 

It was going well. Poseidon would make jokes, Hades would make sarcastic comments and Sally, Percy and Nico would laugh at them. Nico felt comfortable, the red-orange lights were nearly gone. 

“I’ll go get the dishes,” Percy says, leaning in to kiss Nico’s cheek. Nico jerked away as if he’d been electrocuted, looking at Percy with a look that says _shit we fucked up_. They both see red-orange lights again and they can’t even look at the adults in front of them. 

“Almost forgot that you two were together,” Poseidon remarked. Nico almost shadow travels to hell.

* * *

Percy is purple when he talked to Annabeth again for the first time. 

Nico didn’t mean to hide in Percy’s shadow but he does, it’s not because he doesn’t trust Percy, it’s because he just wants to hear their conversation himself. Do you know that feeling where someone tells you something and you wish you heard it yourself? That’s how Nico feels. 

He didn’t know if Percy felt his shadow gain a little weight but if he did, Percy did a good job at hiding it. 

“So what did you need me for?” Percy asked, Nico could tell he had his walls up. 

“I heard that you and Nico were a thing now,” Annabeth shrugged. 

“Yeah. We’re five months.” _5 and a half_

“I figured someone else would get you.” Nico didn’t know what that meant but he felt hurt. 

“Nico got me.” Percy sounded proud and confident, making Nico’s stomach flip. Percy was proud of him. 

“No, I meant someone better.” _Ouch_

“What are you trying to say? That you want me back?” Nico is slightly worried. 

“Listen, it took me five months to think about what you are to me and now I know.”

“You broke up with me, remember?” _I do._

“Yeah but it’s okay now, you don’t have to pretend you’re gay for my sake any longer.”

“...really?” Nico kind of feels suffocated, like for once the shadow isn’t his friend. 

“It must be a real pain to be with a son of Hades.” _Well that hurts._

Nico shifts to see what they were doing. Annabeth was grinning, happy and excited whilst Percy’s expression remains unseen by Nico. If he moves to see Percy’s face, he’d be seen. 

“I love him, Annabeth. I want you to know that what I do isn’t always about you.” 

“You’re not...you’re not pretending?” 

“I thought you knew me enough to know that I’d never do such a thing.” 

“But Percy I love you.” 

“I do too but as a friend and it’s going to stay like that.” 

Nico almost tackles Annabeth when she slapped Percy but she walked away before he could. He trained his eyes on Percy now, trying to see how he’d react to this. 

_”It’s okay if he leaves me, I’d totally get it,”_ Nico tries to convince himself. 

“I know you’re there, Di Angelo. Come out,” Percy’s tone wasn’t so reassuring. Nico knows better than to say anything as he stepped out of Percy’s shadow. He can’t even look at Percy in the eye. 

“I can’t believe you don’t trust me,” Percy snapped. 

“I do, Percy. It’s just I--”

“You wouldn’t be in my shadow if you did, Nico.” 

Nico looks up at him desperately because Nico did trust him but he can’t explain what his actions meant. He opens his mouth and shuts it again. 

“No I’m just messing with you, babe. Are you hungry? Because I am,” Percy laughs, hooking his arm around Nico’s shoulders and dragging him to the tables. 

“Asshole.” 

“Love you too, don’t forget that.” 

“I won’t.”

* * *

It’s been two years since they first got together and Nico couldn’t be happier. He was really happy with Percy and he liked to believe that the son of Poseidon was happy with him as well. Of course they had their fights but they end up being in the bedroom anyway so Nico doesn’t bother changing that. 

 

Nico is pressed up against the wall and Percy’s chest. The bed in Hades’ cabin was never really built for two people to sleep in it. Percy had his right arm looped around Nico’s waist and his right arm buried under his pillow whilst Nico had a vice like grip on Percy’s orange shirt, trying to stop him from falling. It didn’t seem to bother the couple though, if anything Nico seemed to love it.

It was a lazy Sunday morning, Percy had made it rain because the heat was practically unbearable so the training schedules were all cancelled and so were their non existent plans to come outside. 

It’s been thirty minutes since Percy had woken up and he can’t seem to stop watching Nico asleep. He seemed so young and free, he doesn’t even look like a demigod he just looks like he’s a person trying to delay his work with sleep. 

Percy had taken it upon himself to look at him, really look at him. He reviewed the thin line that was his mouth, the long lashes he had, the light freckles that dotted his skin, the cute little button nose, the vanishing bags under his eyes and the way this makes Percy fall in love even more. 

Black eyes have been revealed before Percy could pretend he was still asleep. 

“Hey,” Nico says, voice hoarse with sleep. 

“Hi,” Percy grinned, kissing Nico’s nose. 

“How long were you awake?” They were whispering even though they were the only inhabitants in the cabin yet it felt right to do this on a rainy Sunday morning with the son of Hades. 

“Not too long.” 

“Oh.” They fell into silence after that but that didn’t bother either of them. They merely snuggled into each other again. 

“Andie is cute,” Nico says, smiling as he remembered looking at Percy’s newborn baby sister, Andie Blowfis. 

“Yeah but it’s still weird that I was named after Perseus and she was named after Andromeda.” 

“I’m _your_ Andromeda.” It was supposed to be an innocent joke but he felt Percy tense. 

“I honestly really want you to be my Andromeda.” 

“I already am.” Percy shifted, making Nico curl into himself due to the loss of heat. The son of Poseidon had stashed an item in Nico’s bedside drawer the night before and now he’s hesitant to retrieve it. 

“So are you willing to wear this for me, Andromeda?” Percy grinned, opening the velvet box to show two similar rings. 

“Of course I will, Perseus,” Nico grinned and he should be crying but he’s too busy hurting his cheeks from smiling. Percy slipped the ring in Nico’s finger and when the son of Hades looks up he’s never seen Percy look so golden.


End file.
